Into the Flames
by BlackRoseDragonCK
Summary: Oneshot. Serenity fears she does not have the drive...the fire that everyone else has. When Ryou runs into trouble...will she prove herself wrong? Takes place after ceremonial duel. I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING. MORE DISCLAIMERS INSIDE.


**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH BY KAZUKI TAKAHASHI OR SET FIRE TO THE RAIN WRITTEN BY ADELE AND FRASER T. SMITH, PRODUCED BY FRASER T. SMITH, AND SUNG BY ADELE**

**Heya everybody! Sooo, this is a one-shot taking place after the Ceremonial Duel. I've had to change the meaning of a lot of the lyrics to the song so that it did not have a negative connotation. Because of this, I did not use the end of the song since I could not quite think of a way to change the nuance of it. Also, the characters are a little older in this. Cookies for Sailorblaze for suggesting this song and pairing to me :)!**

**X**

It was raining. The desolate streets of this sector of Domino City were quiet, save for the steady rhythm of falling liquid. Sable clouds blocked out the moon in the night sky, shrouding everything in darkness. A few flickering neon lights from closed businesses reflected off the misty rain…but they cast very little light in the sea of shadows.

Sitting upright in bed, staring out the window… sixteen-year-old Serenity Wheeler could not help but permit herself a small shudder. She was in a hotel room in a less dense area of the city. The room was simple with two beds, a pleasant bathroom, a small television, and a quaint desk area for doing computer work. Dark blue carpet covered the floors, greatly contrasted against the pale azure walls. Clutched tightly in her fingers, the bedding was white and plush, proving to be both warm and soft to the touch. Indeed, this room was perfectly agreeable…but right now, it seemed to her…grotesque.

The creepy lighting outside made the walls glow an eerie silver. Inadequately lit, the dark blue floor looked more like a an abyss of blackness just waiting to engulf her if she dared step off the bed. Every time lightning flashed or thunder boomed…Serenity nearly hit the ceiling in surprise.

The girl sighed forlornly and sat back against the hard wood head board. It was uncomfortable…but she didn't care much for comfort right now. A few feet to the side of her, her mother was breathing quietly on the other bed. She was obviously deep in sleep, oblivious to the tension in the air. Serenity wished she could sleep…but it appeared she would not have that luxury.

A few days before, Serenity had met her brother as well as Yugi Mutou, Tea Gardner, Tristan Taylor, Duke Devlin, and Ryou Bakura at the Domino Airport. They had just returned from their trip to Egypt…from their quest to restore Yugi's Pharaoh companion's memories. They had succeeded. The villain had been defeated…and they had all come home seemingly safe. Pharaoh Atem had returned to the afterlife…and while they were all still reasonably sad on the subject, everything was the way it was meant to be. At least…that was what she had thought.

When the battle was won…all of the earthbound spirits of ancient Egypt had either returned to the afterlife or been sent into oblivion. This included not only Yugi's spirit…but seventeen-year-old Ryou's as well. The dark soul living within the Millennium Ring…he was finally gone, banished from plaguing his host's life forever. Those were the facts…and yet…Ryou had been missing since this morning. Joey and the others had told Serenity not to worry. He had probably gone somewhere and forgotten to take his cell phone…but something felt extremely wrong.

Biting her lip, the girl closed her eyes. No one understood how worried she was about him…because no one knew how much he meant to her. No one knew about that private moment they'd had on the harbor, right after returning from Battle City.

**Flashback….**

_Serenity sighed as she stood on the concrete dock of Domino Harbor, staring out at the horizon. The sun was setting, painting the sky in brilliant shades of gold, orange, and fiery red. Those colors reflected off the azure water, making the line between the sea and sky almost non-existent. They both seemed to stretch on forever in a brilliant display of rosy light. _

_ A gentle breeze blew through the girl's lengthy hair. Serenity tucked a stray strand behind her ear and looked down at the water. Her reflection stared right back at her. Long, red locks…porcelain skin…sparkling brown eyes… She had the face of a doll…and that frustrated her. She wanted to be so much more than that._

_ Throughout the Battle City Adventure, Joey and the others had had their own drives…their own fires that kept them going. As for Serenity…she really had not had a reason to even be there except for her brother. Not to belittle that fact, she loved Joey immensely…but she wanted to be more than just a little sister cheering him on in the background. She wanted to have her own place in this story._

_ A gentle hand placed itself on her shoulder. Serenity turned, startled. Standing next to her, eyes questioning but not demanding…was Ryou Bakura. The girl had to admit that he was a cute young man. He had long hair the color of pristine snow, pale skin, and gentle chocolate eyes. His voice was as soft as his gaze and distinctly accented. He always wore a light blue and white striped shirt, pale grey pants, and blue sneakers…all soft colors, just like him. _

_ Serenity could not help finding herself attracted to him. She too was a tender individual, dressed in a light pink and orange shirt and pale jean shorts. Her voice was quiet and girlish. Her heart was soft. Although she liked Tristan Taylor and Duke Devlin as friends…they had been a bit too rambunctious for her. She preferred someone gentle, placid, and understanding. Someone…like Ryou._

_ Ryou tilted his head, staring at the girl in concern for her jumpiness. Serenity blushed and stammered out an apology. "R-Ryou…I'm s-sorry, I was just..."_

_ Her chestnut eyes darted nervously around, unwilling to focus on his deep gaze. For the first time, she realized that everyone else had left. Joey still had not come back from saying his goodbyes to Mai Valentine… That meant that Serenity and Ryou were alone…and that made her heart pound._

_ "You seem deep in thought…" the white-haired teen said softly._

_ The girl took a shuddering breath. She forced her eyes to meet his…and felt as though she had been lost in a warm sea of chocolate. She gave a single nod before averting her gaze again._

_ Ryou was silent for several moments. Finally, he murmured. "Something is troubling you…won't you tell me what it is?" He lightly placed his hand on her shoulder._

_ Serenity turned, surprised at his touch. The young man gazed at her with deep yet unobtrusive curiosity. That was another thing she liked about him. He didn't see her as just another pretty girl as Tristan and Duke did. She was someone with her own passions…fears…desires…and need for purpose._

_ The redhead sighed and turned her head to gaze out at the horizon. "It's just…throughout this whole adventure…each and every one of you has fought so hard. All of you…except me…"_

_ In her peripheral vision, she saw the white-haired youth tilt his head in confusion. "What are you talking about?" he inquired. "Of course you have helped in our battles. I can think of several instances where our friends could not have one without your support."_

_ "But I want to be more than just support…" Serenity explained. Her eyes stayed locked on the blood sky. "I want to prove to myself that I can fight for what I love…and not just in a card game." She bit her lip, her eyes fluttering closed. "Sometimes…I fear that I don't have the same fire in me…that the rest of you have…"_

_ They were silent for several long moments. The wind whistled softly. Water lapped against the hard sides of the dock. Serenity could hear her own heart pounding in her ears. Her face heated with a blush, not believing what she had just told him. She hadn't even fully admitted those secrets to herself._

_ A soft finger slid beneath the girl's chin. Her head was turned, firmly but gently. Serenity's chestnut eyes flew open in surprise. She found herself lost in a sea of chocolate…Ryou's soft yet fathomless gaze. He was searching her…not in a perverted way as men often did…but truly gazing into the deepest recesses of her soul. She stayed perfectly still, feeling spellbound by the moment._

_ When Ryou finally spoke…his voice was almost inaudible…and deadly serious. "You do have the fire in you…" he murmured. "…I can see it in your eyes. You have the heart to love someone…to truly love them with all of your being. If you possess that…then you have the power…the fire to fight for them with all your might."_

_ The girl stood there, frozen. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly…but no words came out. She could think of nothing to say to that. No one had ever spoken to her so deeply before…had never believed in her so fully. The snowy-haired boy's hand moved from her face to her shoulder again._

_ "You know…" Ryou began quietly. "…sometimes I feel the same way. I want to fight against this…this…" his hand moved gingerly over the Millennium Ring, glistening ominously in the blood sunset. "…thing that lives within me. It feels like I just don't have the strength…the fire to fight him. But…I just keep telling myself…he cannot overpower me forever. When I saw Yugi fighting against Marik…I saw someone who loved his friends and family battling someone whose heart was far too wicked for love. Yugi won because the love he had gave him the fire to defeat his enemy. It's the same thing with the dark spirit of the Millennium Ring. His heart is completely black with no room for love. Perhaps one day…when I find my source of fire…I will be able to overpower him as Yugi did to Marik."_

_ Serenity studied him thoughtfully. "So…I guess it's like what I told Tristan. We'll find our fire eventually…we just have to wait."_

_ Ryou smiled and nodded. He stared at her with those warm, dark eyes for several more heartbeats. He seemed to want to say something else…but did not. Finally, he murmured a quiet goodbye…turned…and left._

**End of Flashback…**

Serenity sighed heavily. Sleep was not an option for her tonight. She couldn't seem to stop thinking…to stop worrying about Ryou. He had been there for her when her heart was falling deeper and deeper into self-conscious shadow. He had opened his own heart to her…saved her…and made her fall, hard for him, in the process.

_I let it fall…my heart._

_And as it fell, you rose to claim it._

_It was dark…and I was over…_

_Until you kissed my lips and you saved me._

The girl wished she had had the courage to tell him how she felt. She had possessed enough strength to get her hands dirty and delve into the true cause of her fears…but she had not harbored the valor to reveal her deepest secrets. She could accept his comfort…but she could not reveal the feelings aroused because of it. If she had done so…Serenity wasn't sure she would have been able to do it without falling to her knees in the process.

_My hands…they were strong._

_But my knees were far too weak._

_To stand in your arms…_

…_Without falling to your feet._

Lightening flashed. Serenity drew in a sharp breath, clutching the covers to her chest. The streets were illuminated for just a moment…before fading back to their ominous blackness. Somehow…it made her worry for Ryou grow even more. The display reminded her of his light shining bright and brief…only to be consumed quickly by the dark demon living within him.

She had never understood much about the Spirit of the Millennium Ring. No one had ever bothered to explain it to her in great detail. The girl did, however, know that he had often made his host's life a living hell. He was always possessing him…forcing him to play dangerous shadow games against others…attacking innocent people. He possessed a sharp mind and a silver tongue. He used his host's gentle countenance to convince most anyone with his lies…and fool all with his cunning. On many occasions, they had thought Ryou to be rid of him. The white-haired boy frequently assured everyone that he was fine…that he had the spirit under control…but he did no such thing. No matter how skillfully Ryou played his demon's game…the dark creature always seemed to win.

_But there's a side to you that I never knew, never, knew._

_All the things you'd say they were never true, never true._

_And the games you'd play you would always win, always win…_

Breathing shallowly, Serenity climbed out of bed. Her body was trembling. What if they were wrong…and the demon really was NOT gone? He had been living inside his host for so long…. It could not possibly be that easy to expunge him from Ryou's soul. She had to find him. Tonight.

Serenity's bare feet padded quietly across the carpeted floor to her open suitcase. Heart racing, she pulled out a long-sleeved shirt…she wasn't sure what color and did not care…as well as a pair of jeans. She tore off her pink pajamas and quickly pulled on the clothes, barely remembering to grab her black and white converse sneakers. Grabbing the room key off the desk, the girl made her way to the door…and froze. Her hand ghosted over the ice-cold handle. Should she really do this? COULD she do this?

Serenity bit her lip for about the hundredth time that night. What if she did not have the fire to help Ryou if he needed it? She hung her head, shadows of doubt consuming her heart. Thunder crashed, followed by another jolt of white lightening. The room brightened for a moment…and her eyes widened when she finally saw the color of her tight, long-sleeved blouse. It was crimson…dark fire crimson. Her hair flowed down her back, made even redder by the color of her shirt. A wave of new confidence jolted through her. She at least looked the part…perhaps she could do this.

The girl slipped soundlessly out the door into the hotel corridor. A soft click sounded as the door swung shut. She cringed. Every little bump seemed thunderous in this dark void of a hallway. Shuddering, she made her way down the carpeted hall to the stairwell. Serenity was relieved that they were only on the second floor of the hotel. She descended down the flights of steps and raced out into the lobby. Blatantly ignoring the perplexed expressions of the lobbyists, she ran out of the building onto the wet, dark streets of Domino.

The rain was pouring, making the shadowed streets look like they were coated in a gunmetal mist. Water dripping onto her uncovered head, Serenity looked back and forth, unsure of which direction to go. One way led to a shopping district. That area was slightly illuminated by flickering neon lights and street lamps. The other way…led to a less lively section, filled with storage buildings, warehouses, abandoned brick structures, and back alleys. There were hardly any lights down there. The entire place seemed shrouded in darkness.

Taking a deep breath, Serenity turned…and chose the darker path. Her instincts were telling her that something was very wrong…and she highly doubted that "wrong" hung out in the well-lit parts of town. The girl ran down the slick sidewalk, squinting through the rain. The more she ran…the darker things became. Buildings transitioned from firmly-built…to covered in graffiti and boarded-up windows. Empty cans and crumpled newspapers littered the cracked sidewalk. With the combination of garbage and slippery walkways…Serenity nearly tripped more than once.

Finally, the girl slowed her pace so as not to injure herself. She wrapped her arms around her torso, hugging herself, eyes darting fearfully around. The darkness…the coldness and danger in this place…was staggering. It was its own force, falling with the rain…burning in the rain. Heart pounding, Serenity placed her hand on a dripping chain-link fence to steady herself. She was surprised when her fingers brushed something soft and pliable. She turned…and felt her stomach twist in horror. Caught on the wire…was a scrap of fabric…a scrap of blue and white fabric.

"Ryou's shirt…" she croaked out…and tears filled her eyes.

Serenity had been right. He WAS here…and he was in trouble. She fingered the scrap, feeling as though she were touching him rather than a piece of his clothing. It burned her skin to touch him…and to hear voice of a cruel fate screaming his name on the rain-drenched wind.

_But I set fire…to the rain._

_Watched it pour as I touched your face._

_And it burned while I cried _

'_Cuz I heard it screaming out your name…your name…_

Hands shaking, Serenity continued down the path. Rain drenched her from head to foot…but she didn't care. She had to find Ryou. The girl wasn't sure what she would do if she lost him. He understood her…he cared about her, for her soul as well as her pretty face. She felt as though she could stay with him…forever. Nothing else mattered.

_When I lay with you…_

_I could stay there…close my eyes._

_Feel you here forever._

_You and me…together…nothing is better._

Unfortunately, something might stand in her girl's way. Anger flared through Serenity, warming her cold, sopping limbs with its heat. Ryou's other side…his demon. That creature would destroy him. No matter how skilled he was…Ryou would never win his game of darkness…if she was not here to help him.

'_Cuz there's a side to you that I never knew, never knew._

_All the things you'd say they were never true, never true._

_And the games you'd play…you would always win, always win…_

A sound pierced through the pounding of the rain…faint…and indistinct. Serenity froze. Deftly, she took in her surroundings. She was on a dark street filled with abandoned buildings and back alleys. Darkness coated everything, along with the silvery mist of rain. She listened…and gasped when a human groan reached her ears. Her heart raced. It seemed to be coming from the alleyway a few feet ahead of her.

Fear flashed briefly within the red-haired girl. She pushed it aside. Her fire would burn through this darkness…this rain. She would help him to the best of her ability.

_But I set fire…to the rain._

_Watched it pour as I touched your face._

_And it burned while I cried _

'_Cuz I heard it screaming out your name…your name…_

Serenity rounded the corner into the ally. It was narrow and dark, dead-ended by another chain-link fence. There were a few dark green, rusted dumpsters lined against the brick walls, but the space was otherwise desolate…except for one person.

A figure stood, hunched over two or three yards ahead of the girl. It was a little larger than her but not as big as a full-grown man. He clutched at his head, his back turned to her. He was the source of the groaning sound. Serenity gulped and took another step forward. In that instant…lightening pierced the ebony sky. Everything was momentarily illuminated…and the girl saw just what she had expected to see. The figure…was clothed in a ripped, dripping, blue and white shirt…pale skin glistening with rainwater…his head…plastered with wet, long, snowy hair.

"Ryou…" Serenity murmured. The name barely made it through her pale lips.

The young man turned to face her…and she saw that it was indeed Ryou's body…but his mind…his soul was not in control. His face was somehow…sharper…paler. His hair, in spite of its wetness, stuck out on top like horns. His eyes were as black as the night…and filled with a coldness far from Ryou's gentle warmth. Serenity's heart twisted again at the last detail marring his face. The reason she could make out his other features…was because of the Eye of Horus symbol burning wickedly on his forehead.

The dark man's lips twisted into an unpleasant grin. "Ryou?" he hissed in a raspy, low voice she had only heard on one other occasion. "Oh no…I am so much more than that."

"It's you…" the girl breathed in dismay. Her instincts had been right all along. He wasn't gone…he had never gone.

The demon gave a rough chuckle. He stood up a little straighter…but his fingers still dragged stressfully over his face, like he was having trouble maintaining control.

Serenity shook her head slowly. "But…but they got rid of you!"

He laughed again, a sound like poison to her ears. "Did you really think it would be THAT easy?" he asked.

No, she thought, but did not say aloud. Instead, the girl swallowed hard and squared her shoulders. She fixed him with a firm glare, waiting for him to continue.

The spirit's incisors glinted like fangs as he explained, "You see…I've been living within your precious Ryou Bakura for quite some time now." He removed his hand from his face and clamped it onto the crumbling brick wall at his side. His fingers dug into the flimsy grout between the stones. "I've been worming my way into his heart piece by agonizing piece…just because you got rid of my spirit in the Ring…it doesn't mean you removed the traces of me from his core! His soul is MINE you pathetic mortal!" His voice rang with a demonic undertone.

"No!" Serenity cried out. She clenched her fists, glaring daggers at the demon. "Leave him alone!"

His mouth eased into a grin dripping with toxicity. "Or you'll WHAT, little girl? Do you really think you have the fire to take ME on?"

Fury burned within Serenity's heart. She opened her mouth to respond…but her voice trailed off when a sudden change came over his body. The spirit gasped and stumbled. His shoulder slammed into the wall, his body heaving with ragged breaths. His strained fingers clutched at his face again and an animalistic growl hissed through his clenched teeth. Serenity blinked in confusion.

When the dark stranger looked up at her again….the Eye of Horus was gone. It was no longer a stranger who stared into her burning eyes…it was a dear friend. Ryou gazed at her pleadingly. His body shuddered with the effort of suppressing his dark half, his fingers, digging into the fabric of his shirt.

"Serenity…" he croaked. "…please…run…he's…too strong for me. I…I can't fight him…"

"Yes you can!" the girl shot back. She took a step closer.

Ryou cringed. He shook his head, holding out his hand in a desperate attempt to keep her away. "No…I can't…I don't have the strength…the fire to defeat him…especially not in this rain! He thrives on darkness…on extinguishing the light of others…and soon…I'll be gone too….I can't keep him back…"

Serenity came even closer. He pressed his back against the brick, striving to get away. She could see the terror in his eyes…not for his own sake…but for hers.

"Maybe you can't do it alone…" she said, placing her hands on his shoulders. They were as rigid as wire with strain. "…but I'm with you now. I'll fight him too!"

The white-haired youth snarled, clutching at his head. His face contorted into the rage-tinted sneer of the demon. His hands shook, but they remained tangled within his hair. Ryou still had control of his body….but had lost his voice.

" What makes you think you can?" he growled. "Look at you! Look at him! You're both drenched in my darkness…in my rain! You cannot escape it!"

"I'll set fire to your rain!" Serenity snapped. "Ryou! Remember what you told me! He has no love in his heart. He'll never know the power of that kind of fire! You said that I had the heart to love someone…and that would give me a strength he could never imagine. Ryou…I love you! You've given me this fire…now let me give some to you!"

The villain groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. His face became less severe…and the voice that wrenched through his lips was definitely Ryou's. "Serenity…"

"Fight him!" she cried, sliding her hands up to his face. She pulled him closer and leaned her forehead against his. "Here…let me lend you some of my fire."

She clashed her lips against his. Ryou's body tensed, no doubt due to the demon's resistance…but she only drew him nearer, tangling her fingers into his soaking wet locks. After a moment…he finally responded, winding his arms around her waist as he did so. Sparks flew between them. Their inner fire grew into a roaring blaze. Rain still poured, coating both of them…but it could do little to quench the flames of passion.

Serenity broke away and gasped for air. She still held the youth's face between her hands…but it was now the enraged face of the demon staring back at her. His teeth clenched, the Eye of Horus flickering on his forehead as he struggled to retain his control.

"No…" he growled, eyes filled with fury…and desperation. "…you cannot…be rid of me…" though as he said the words, his cold eyes were replaced by his host's warm ones.

A triumphant smile shone on Serenity's face. He knew as well as she did…that he was finished. He was nothing compared to their fire. She had surrounded them in the flames…so that even his rain could do nothing to stop them.

"Be gone…" the girl murmured, eyes half-lidded. "…this is the last time you will EVER hurt Ryou…"

At these words, Ryou cupped her face, pulling her into his arms. In the fiery contact…she was sure that she heard a demonic scream of agony…of defeat. The Eye of Horus shattered from his forehead…and the coldness…the oppression of another that had always shadowed his heart…vanished. The Spirit of the Ring was gone. His being was finally dead. He could never harm them again.

The young man's eyes fluttered open. He gazed down at Serenity with adoration…and wonder in his face.

"How…" he whispered. "…how did you do it?"

The girl brushed the snowy bangs away from his forehead. "Just like you said…" she whispered. "…I set fire to his rain…and I threw both of us into the flames. He can't harm you anymore. This was the last time…we would EVER see that other side of you."

Serenity smiled up at him. Ryou grinned back…and she did not protest as he pulled her in for another ignited kiss. The rain pounded over both of them…but quickly evaporated in the force of their flames.

**Whew, that was a tough story XD. I decided to just turn that last part of the chorus into dialogue haha. I hope you liked and please review! Please no flames :).**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR SET FIRE TO THE RAIN**


End file.
